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Trang Tien Ice Cream

When it comes to Hanoi specialties, it would be a mistake not to mention Trang Tien ice cream. This ice cream brand has long been imprinted on the hearts of many Vietnamese people by its attractive flavors. For tourists, Trang Tien street has long become a must-visit destination for its reflection of a tradition of the capital Hanoi.

Trang Tien ice cream, which was named after the street where it was sold, was first introduced in 1958. The first ice cream parlor was at 35 Trang Tien street, which has stood firmly as the most popular ice cream parlor in Hanoi for more than 50 years.

Earlier in the 30s under the French colonialism, Western people enjoyed ice cream at some  luxury ice cream parlors like the Ze'phyz (which is still present on Dinh Tien Hoang Street), the Con Giong Hotel  (16 Ngo Quyen) and the Hoa Binh Hotel (which is 35 Trang Tien now). For lower-class residents, they found their demands of ice cream satisfied at smaller parlors around the Hoan Kiem lake.

The ice cream was made completely manually and requires a lot of effort. To make ice cream, one of the must-have tools was a wooden box  which had a corrugated iron box inside to keep the temperature low. Ice cream makers filled ice into the gap between the two boxes. Then, they rotated the handle of the box for about an hour and the last result is a mixture of milk, flour and vanilla. That was how simple but delicious ice cream was made.

At the time, to get ice cream, children had to queue up and wait for a long time. It was also very cool for a man to carry her girlfriend on his Peugeot bike to enjoy the coolness of ice cream under heat in Hanoi.

It was not until 1940s when the Japanese came to Vietnam that Hanoians noticed the existence of an ice cream stick (kem que). The Japanese made many kinds of ice cream, but the Eskimo ice cream was remembered the most among old generation. The ice cream looked like the present ice cream stick, but without a stick and was wrapped with glossy paper, and had a lot of flavors like orange, lemon, etc.

Trang Tien ice cream was first introduced during peace time from 1957 to 1958. At the time, the ice cream was very cheap, and suited pockets of ordinary workers. Trang Tien ice cream’s main flavors were green beans, green rice flakes or coconut milk, which were not as diverse as current.

Trang Tien ice cream with different flavors

Now, the most chosen Trang Tien ice cream  is coconut milk ice cream cones (kem oc que.) The sweetness of the ice cream combined with the crunch of the cone creates a perfect combination. 

kem oc que

Trang Tien ice cream looks simple, but when you takes one bite, its superb flavor will make it an unforgettable experience in Hanoi. In the memories of older generations of Hanoians, Hanoi was made up by delicate scent of milk flowers (hoa sua) on streets, simple image of an old mossy roof, gentle fragrance of young green rice (com) in the early morning, and sweet coolness of Trang Tien ice cream! It is not just ice cream; it is a representative of Hanoi in the past.

Hoa sua

Writer: Son Nguyen

Source: http://laodong.com.vn/van-hoa/kem-trang-tien-ngot-mat-trong-ky-uc-nha-ha-noi-hoc-46116.bld

Street Vendors – An Iconic Image of Hanoi

Weaving through modern streets and heavy traffic, street vendors (or ganh hang rong) are one of the remaining typical images of ancient Hanoi. They are usually pictured as a woman wearing non la and carrying a shoulder pole with bamboo baskets of goods at two ends along the street.

Hanoi with more than one thousand years of history was the cradle of traditional Vietnamese culture, and among its products was gang hang rong, which played an integral part of urban life. People did not need to get to the downtown; instead, they could buy all necessary stuffs from ganh hang rong in the neighborhood. Most sellers were farmers coming from villages near Hanoi. Since farming alone was not enough to support their families, they had to make extra earnings with bamboo carrying poles on their shoulders. 

To reach Hanoi in the morning, they needed to wake up and get prepared very early. When Hanoi was still asleep, the voices of the vendors had already echoed softly in many corners of streets. Some Hanoians even developed a habit to get up and ready for a new day as soon as they heard energetic voices of the vendors. And if the voices were weak, they knew that it was time for bed.

Till now, gang hang rong still appears in most of the streets in Hanoi selling delicious food for all four seasons. In the summer, it is fascinating to try cool and soft tao pho (a kind of beverage made from soybeans) that the seller skillfully scoops from a wooden barrel into a small bowl. When the weather is cooler, sitting quietly with a pinch of com (young green rice) in a lotus leaf and enjoying its elegant fragrance and gentle flavor is so great that you just wish time could stop for a while. When winter approaches, people tend to sit closer and eat grilled corns as well as roasted potatoes on sidewalks to ward off the chill.

Tao pho

Com

Also, ganh hang rong paints Hanoi with different colors in every season. The gentle bikes loaded with flowers riding on the streets have been deep into the subconscious mind of Hanoians. The women vendors usually wear traditional costume called áo tứ thân (four-part dress). The Hanoians have been accustomed to buying flowers at the flower bikes instead of at flower shops, just because of their passionate love for flowers rather than giving to other people as a present. 

Unlike other street vendors, flower sellers in Hanoi do not have to raise their voice for attention, perhaps because the delicate fragrance and striking colors of flowers themselves are enough to attract people. June is the month of lotus with pinky colors filling in corners of streets. Winter comes with fragrant and colorful chrysanths, mostly in bright yellow and snowy-white. Following the approach of the spring is the reddish and brilliant pink of peach blossoms. It is true to say that the bikes not only carry flowers but also carry the beauty and spirit of each season to the one thousand – year capital of Hanoi.

Another noteworthy feature of street vendors in Hanoi is sidewalk tea stalls (hang che via he). Tea stalls used to appear in almost every corner of streets in Hanoi. With seats and sometimes small tables, tea stalls sell a wide range of beverages from traditional drinks like tea and nuoc sau (a drink made of dracontomelon fruit – very common in Hanoi) to more modern ones like soft drinks, coffee and they even serve snacks like potato chips. Sidewalk tea stalls are preferable for someone who wants a tea break or relaxing time with friends, and someone who wants to take a rest after a long travel.

The presence of ganh hang rong has spread nationwide for a long time with subtle differences in each region. In Saigon, carts are preferable and flowers are sold at shops rather on bikes. While drinking tea on sidewalk is very common in Hanoi, people tend to prefer drinking coffee in Saigon.

Through time, Hanoi has changed its image into a modern capital. The streets are now crowded with cars, high buildings, restaurants, and coffee shops. People now live a more convenient life with stable income. They find no reason to keep their unstable life by selling goods on the streets. In addition, recent change in regulations does not allow vendors to sell goods on the streets to reserve sidewalks for pedestrians.  Although ganh hang rong is now less seen than before, the image and voice of street vendors have been imprinted on the memories of many Hanoians. For them, the image of an old and hard-working street vendor makes them recall the ancient Hanoi when life was tough but warm in the mutual love and kindness of people. 

The following video tells a story about a woman vendor raises her child by selling tao pho on the streets. It is certainly a harsh life, but she is happy to watch her child to grow up day by day.

Writer : Son Nguyen

Can Tho - A modern Southern girl of Vietnam

Sailing down the Cuu Long River, a beautiful and peaceful landscape will appear before the eyes of tourists. 170 kilometers away from Ho Chi Minh city, Can Tho attracts tourists by the modern of the fourth largest city in Vietnam and the gentleness of the people. In other words, Can Tho is like a modern Southern girl.

Ninh Kieu pier

The name “Can Tho” itself is mysturious to many tourists. It can be explained by two different legends.

The first one originated from the time when Nguyen Anh Lord was traveling by boat on Hau River to escape from the chase of Quang Trung king, he heard a recital from somewhere at a branch of the river. Therefore, he named the branch as “Cam Thi giang” or Cam Thi River. People later called the land along the river as Cam Thi, which was changed into Can Tho through time.

The second one is that in the past, the land of Can Tho was home to parsley and rau thom (a kind of herbs, the word “thom” means having pleasant fragrance.) That’s why local people called it as “Can Thom”, which was also changed into “Can Tho” eventually.

Can Tho Bridge

Enriched with 300 years of history, Can Tho has another name as Tay Do which means the capital of Southwestern region. It is the center point which connects Saigon with other Southern provinces in terms of economy, transportation, and cultural exchange. Fertile alluvium and interlaced network of channels has turned Can Tho into a land full of liveliness, diverse fruits, and convenient waterway system.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:

 When it comes to Can Tho, people tend to think of cruising on a boat and enjoying many countryside sceneries passing by. Embarking at Ninh Kieu pier, tourists will indulge themselves in the coolness of river breeze in the early morning, and the fullness of fruit-laden trees along both sides of the river. At the end of the cruise, the boat will stop at a very special destination which is unique to the region criss-crossed by channels as Can Tho – Cai Rang Floating Market. 

The special point of the market lies on trading activities taking place on narrow boats. A buyer just needs to look at the stick in front of each boat which hangs samples of what it is selling, and then calls the seller. The boat of the seller will approach the boat of the buyer for trade. Tourists can even enjoy such delicious dishes as bun rieu, hu tieu (a kind of noodles), and che (a kind of sweet dessert). Besides Cai Rang, there are some other floating markets like Phung Hiep and Phong Dien where Southern countryside specialities like snakes and eels are sold.  

Cai Rang Floating Market

Moreover, Can Tho attracts tourists by its various fruit orchards. It is also said that Can Tho is a hot spot of tropical fruits like mango, mangosteen, longan, and guava. Coming to the orchards, tourists can pick and enjoy fresh fruits right at the spot. They are also invited to take a sip of wine by friendly orchard owners. These kinds of fruits are sold with low price.

Other destinations worth a visit are:

150-year-old Binh Thuy Ancient House with architecture in French style and interior in traditional Vietnamese style.

Bang Lang stork sanctuary to watch astonishing views of thousands of storks and snowy egrets filling the branches with white color.

Nam Nha pagoda builted in 1890 has elegant architecture and historical values.

FOOD:

Food in Can Tho is also worth a try. One of the most famous dishes is lau mam Da Ly. Its ingredients include mam ca linh (a kind of dried and salted fish), side pork, shrimps, squids, and ca hu (a kind of fish). The dish is served with two trays of various fresh herbs and vegetables like luffa, cucurbit, bitter melon, and so on. The combined taste of the hotpot soup, fresh seafood and vegetables, along with fish source makes customers truly feel the simplicity and diversity of Southwestern soul.      

Another recommended dish is banh xeo (Vietnamese-style savory crepe) with minced duck meat and apical buds of adult coconut plants. Besides, tourists can visit restaurants along the river and enjoy river breeze and some food such as deep-fried Anabas with sliced green mango, and grilled medium- sized edible snail with black pepper. 

Banh xeo in Can Tho

Only three hours on long-route bus, you will find yourself lost in a city where the elements of countryside and modern city are mixed together. With many peaceful sceneries and delicious food, Can Tho will bring you a relaxing and enjoyable time, much different from the hustle and bustle of life, for sure! 😉 

TRANSPORTATION:

Ho Chi Minh City – Can Tho:

It takes 3 hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho. The buses to Can Tho depart at Ben xe Mien Tay (Western Bus Station, 395 Kinh Duong Vuong, Binh Tan, HCMC). Tourists can buy tickets there or contact directly the following bus companies:

*Phuong Trang bus:

Address: 272 De Tham, District 1

Tel: (08) 38375570

Saigon: Departs at Ben xe Mien Tay (Western Bus Station) from 7 a.m till 10p.m

Can Tho: Departs every 30 minutes at Ben xe Nguyen Trai (Nguyen Trai Bus Station).

*Hoang Long bus:

Address: 47 Pham Ngu Lao, District 1

Tel: (08) 39151818  

Can Tho: Ben xe lo 91B

*Mai Linh bus:

Tel: (08) 39292929. Hotline: 0985 29 29 29.

15-seat and 45-seat buses run every 15 minutes, 24/24.

Ticket price: VND130,000 – 200,000

Boat to Cai Rang floating market:

From Ninh Kieu pier (at the center of Can Tho city), it takes around 30 to 45 minutes to Cai Rang floating market by boat.

Visiting time: 6a.m – 8a.m.

It is advisable to get on boat around 5a.m so that you can reach there at its busiest time.

Where to buy tickets:

*Mekong Delta Explorer:

+Contact: 0961 73 68 68 – 07103 819 219

+Price: about VND50,000 to Cai Rang and VND80,000 if you want to visit a fruit orchard. Paid right at the boat.

*Can Tho tourist:

Address: 50 Hai Ba Trung, Tan An, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.

Contact: 07103. 811 605 – 3821 852

Price: VND50,000

Ninh Kieu pier
Photo: Vietnam's Channel

Boat ticket office at Ninh Kieu pier

Photo: Vietnam's Channel

Boat ticket price at Ninh Kieu pier

Photo: Vietnam's Channel

Addresses of some fruit orchards:

Mỹ Khánh: 335, Lộ Vòng Cung, Xã Mỹ Khánh, Huyện Phong Điền, TP Cần Thơ.

Vàm Xáng – Phong Điền: số 002 Ấp Nhơn Lộc 1, TT Phong Điền, TP Cần Thơ.

Ba Cống: khu vực Bình Phó B thuộc phường Bình Thủy, quận Long Tuyền, TP Cần Thơ

Khu du lịch sinh thái Nhà vườn Thảo Nguyên: khu vực Bình Phó B thuộc phường Bình Thủy, quận Long Tuyền, TP Cần Thơ.

(The names and addresses are remained in Vietnamese so that it is easier for you to receive guidelines or help from locals) 

Writer: Khanh Khanh
Translator: Tuan Nguyen

Ben Thanh Bus Station was moved to Ham Nghi street

Today (10 April), the Ben Thanh Bus Station was moved to Ham Nghi street which is 200m away. So, actually you just need to walk for a short distance to its new place. Ham Nghi street is now divided into different sections in which you can get on certain buses. 

Bus stop map on Ham Nghi
Photo: Vietnam's Channel/ Minh Nguyen

Because of many sections stretching along the Ham Nghi street, it is quite complicated to find the bus stop you need.

Photo: Vietnam's Channel/ Minh Nguyen

Photo: Vietnam's Channel/ Minh Nguyen

If you want to take a bus to the Tan Son Nhat airport, to make it simple, you can avoid Ham Nghi bus station by taking the bus (Bus No.152 or No.109) near Dai Nam hotel on Tran Hung Dao street as shown on the picture below.

Photo: Vietnam's Channel/ Minh Nguyen

Updated bus routes and the bus stops to the airport at Ham Nghi, please visit: 
How and Where to Take Bus to the Tan Son Nhat airport

Minh Nguyen

Hung Kings Temple Festival

Hung Kings Temple Festival (Gio to Hung Vuong) is one of the most important national holidays in Vietnam to commemorate Hung Kings who had built the country at its early stage. The festival strengthens the importance of a long-standing philosophy in Vietnamese culture: “when you drink water, remember the source” (Uong nuoc nho nguon).

Annually, the festival begins with a lot of cultural activities in several days before a main ceremony held on the 10th day of the third lunar month at Hung Temple, Nghia Linh Moutain, Phu Tho Province (North of Vietnam).

With its special values, the worship of Hung Kings in Phu Tho was officially recognized by the UNESCO as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity on December 6^th, 2012.

I. The legend of Hung Kings:

Legend has it that the first Hung king was the eldest son of Lac Long Quan and Au Co – who gave birth to 100 eggs which later hatched into 100 beautiful babies. The babies grew up and became Vietnamese ancestors; that’s why Vietnamese people are also known as “Dragon’s children and Fairy’s grand-children” (Con rong chau tien).

Lac Long Quan and Au Co

Besides, it was said that Hung Kings’ regime was ruled under 18 dynasties from 2879 BC till 258 BC.  The power of the regime covered what are now Northern Vietnam and a part of Southern China. Over 2621 ruling years, the Hung Kings successfully built Vietnam as a sovereign country from the beginning and forged the sense of community, patriotism, and traditions among its people. The Kings also taught their people how to grow rice and worship Nature Gods like the Rice and Sun Gods at the highest mountain in the region - Nghia Linh Mountain - to pray for nice weather, abundant harvests, peace and happiness for the whole community.

To commemorate marvellous merits of the Kings, the people built a temple at the centre of Nghia Linh (which is now Hung Kings Temple) and chose the 10th day of the third lunar month to be the Hung Kings’ death anniversary.

The Upper Temple, a part of Hung Kings Temple

II.The festival:

Hung Kings Temple Festival is divided into two main parts: ceremony and cultural activities. The ceremony is honorably held at the the Upper Temple (Den Thuong) which is in the top of the mountain. After the ceremony, the cultural activities are held around the mountain foot with the participation of surrounding villages.

1.The ceremony:

The ceremony is solemnly held with the presence of government leaders, village elders, villagers and tourists. The procession is led by a glorious palanquin with offerings consisting of “Le tam sinh” (a pig, a goat, and a cow), Banh chung (square glutinous rice cake), Banh day (round glutious rice cake) and colorful sticky rice. The “Senh tien” traditional dance of Mong people is also a special part of the festival.

Banh chung and Banh day have had a special position in Vietnamese culture for a long time. Banh chung is the symbol of the soil because of its square shape, while the round shape of Banh day represents the sun. The two elements are very important in such an agricultural country as Vietnam. Thus, Banh chung and Banh day always appear in the trays of offerings in special events, especially in Hung Kings Temple Festival, for expressing gratitude for the Earth and Sky which provide people with food.

Banh chung

Banh day

In the early morning of 10^th March, incense-offering ritual is carried out by leaders of the nation, representatives of Phu Tho province as well as representatives of other provinces. Next is the turn of village elders and finally other people.

2. The cultural activities:

*Palanquin competition:

Lavish palanquins in the competition with the participation of surrounding villages creates convivial atmosphere for the festival. The winning palanquin will become a representative of other palanquins to lead the next year’s procession to the Upper Temple for the solemn ceremony, which brings honor and pride to its villagers. It is also believed that the winning village will receive blessings from the Hung Kings and the Gods.

Preparing for a glorious palanquin requires a lot of work and effort. Each palanquin procession includes three sophisticatedly carved palanquins. The leading palanquin carries an incense stick burner holder, betel nuts, a sacred water holder and a wine gourd. The next one carries a plaque of Gods as well as gorgeous parasols and fans. The final one carries Banh chung and Banh day. The palanquins are followed by its village leaders and elders in traditional costumes. 

Leading palanquin

The other two palanquins

*Hat Xoan (Xoan Singing):

Hat Xoan is one of the most unique and important rituals in the Hung Kings Temple Festival. Legend has it that Hat Xoan has been handed down from generation to generation since the time of Hung Kings.

*Other activities:

- Folk games: wrestling, nem con (throwing a colorful ball through a circle on the top of a high bamboo tree), du tien (swing a high bamboo swing), and cockfighting.  

Nem con

Du tien

- Singing: There is a large stage for folk professional singers to perform traditional arts like Cheo, Quan ho, Hat giao duyen, and Hat trong quan. At the other side – Cong Quan, there are melodious sounds of kettledrum performed by Muong artists from Thanh Son.

hat trong quan

- Competitions: “Blowing fire to cook rice” (Thoi lua nau com), “making Banh Chung” (Goi banh chung) and Hat Xoan competitions.

Thoi lua nau com

Goi banh chung

The Hung Kings Temple Festival in 2017 was held in six days from 5 to 10 March on lunar calendar with the participation of Hanoi city, Thai Binh, Binh Phuoc and Ben Tre provinces. Besides traditional activities, the participating provinces bring along their traditional arts like “don ca tai tu” of Ben Tre and water puppet of Hanoi and Thai Binh. This year’s festival received about one million people from different parts of Vietnam.

In conclusion, the Hung Kings Temple Festival has played a crucial part in the spiritual lives of Vietnamese people. Thanks to each generation of Vietnamese people, its merits and traditions are still maintained up to now in order to remind Vietnamese people that our present country is the fruit of ancestors' efforts and that we must continue our ancestors' work to create a better country. 

Writer: Bò